Lee Stretch
| Current job role | Vehicles Dynamic Engineer at Ferrari |
|---|---|
| Course of study | MEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering with Motorsport, 2011 |
Career Success
After graduating from Herts in 2011, Lee joined Mercedes GP as a Performance Simulation Engineer and had the opportunity to work with some of the most sophisticated lap simulation tools in the industry. Lee says, 'It was a very hard three years at Mercedes but it was a rewarding experience. Winning the 2014 World Championship was definitely the icing on the cake.'
Lee's talent, passion, and commitment was recognised by the only other Formula One team that he would have considered moving to - Ferrari. Lee took the opportunity, moved to Italy, and spent time learning Italian. After only six months in the role, Lee had contributed to a new cooling system and continues to develop the team's lap simulation tools. Lee says, 'To help return Ferrari to the top of Formula One would be a dream come true!'
Despite working in a relatively specialised group of vehicle performance, Lee's role demanded sound mechanical understanding, thermodynamics, practical design considerations, and even pure mathematics in simulation. 'Communication is paramount, so all the report writing, presentation, and team-working skills necessary in the final two years of my degree at Herts have proved hugely beneficial. Undertaking internships at AP Racing and Brawn GP also gave me industry knowledge.'
Since then Lee has decided he wants to explore something new. He says, 'Haas F1 offered me an opportunity to lead an Advanced Simulation team, harnessing my experience to expand the capabilities of their Vehicle Science Group. I'm now creating specialised tools for studying car performance and being fully prepared for the new 2026 regulations'.
Memories of Herts
Lee made his decision to study at the University of Hertfordshire when he attended an open day and visited the Formula Student automotive workshop. He says, ‘I saw that the students had designed and built a single-seat racing car which they raced against other universities, and this blew me away. This was what hooked me onto the course.’
‘Formula Student became the catalyst for where I am today. I was taught you only get out what you put in, and working overtime on this activity was almost my undoing!’
‘I’ve applied so many of the topics I studied at Herts to my career at Formula One. I regularly find myself reaching for my student notes.’